


The Foster Kid with the Violin

by CarlsRightEye21



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: AU, Beth just wants to be loved, Childhood Trauma, Foster Care, Found Family, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Klaus is ecstatic to be an uncle, Luther is kinda an asshole, OC insert, The Umbrella Academy Fix-it, Vanya adopts her student, Violins
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-10
Updated: 2019-10-10
Packaged: 2020-12-07 17:48:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20979926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CarlsRightEye21/pseuds/CarlsRightEye21
Summary: Beth Sordame was Vanya's youngest violin student at fifteen. She was quiet and cautious and reminded Vanya too much of herself. When Beth gets more comfortable, bruises start to show and Vanya takes a stand against her youngest student's guardian. Vanya fought for Beth so when Vanya needed her most, Beth fought for her.This is how the foster kid with the violin stopped the apocalypse.





	The Foster Kid with the Violin

Beth Sordame was taken into foster care when she was six after she was found dirty and lost in the streets. Her mother was conked out on crack and her father was bringing hookers home. Beth was given to her uncle to raise but was taken from him when she was eight after he was arrested for possession of child pornography and assault of a minor. 

When Beth was nine, she was told that she was likely to never get adopted because nobody wanted older foster children. 

At the age of eleven, she was moved to her fourth and worst foster home where she would then suffer three years of extreme abuse. 

Moved once again at age fourteen, she was placed in a home with foster parents who didn't really want her. She could deal with the neglect and occasional wack. 

Using money she made from little odd jobs, Beth saved up and purchased a cheap violin and found a cheap teacher at the age of fifteen. 

She had seen an orchestra at one of her odd jobs and fell in love with the instrument. 

Her teacher was called Vanya Hargreeves and she was a mellow teacher. She preferred to be called Vanya, not Ms. Hargreeves. She didn't comment on Beths' old and ratty sweaters or her sad excuse for a violin. She was always ready to teach Beth with a smile. 

Vanya soon became a big part of Beth's life. It was the only thing the teenager could look forward to. Sometimes her violin teacher was the only kindness she received. 

After a particularly nasty fight with her foster father about where she had been going all the time, Beth shows up to her lesson with a bruised cheekbone and split lip. 

She lies. 

"I walked into a door." 

Vanya has no reason not to believe her. 

It's when during a lesson that Vanya touches her arm to correct Beth's positioning that she sees the purple fingerprints on her pupil's arms and the way Beth berates herself. 

Once is an accident. Twice is a coincidence. Three times is a pattern. 

Vanya has to confront Beth the third time her student comes with injuries that coincide with 'walking into a door'. 

"What happened?" Vanya questioned as her fingers touch the pale purple bruise on the back of Beth's neck. Beth's short hair didn't hide it. 

"I fell," Beth mumbled. 

"You must be so clumsy," Vanya muses. "But I've yet to seen you fall or tumble in my many years of teaching you." 

Beth shrugs. She has no clue what to say. She doesn't want to lie to her kind violin teacher anymore but she cannot admit what was wrong. 

"Let's try that again," Vanya tells her. "Who gave you those bruises." 

Beth clams up. She grips her violin so hard that her knuckles turn white. 

"None of your business," The teenager spits. Vanya couldn't get involved. Her foster father would make Vanya go away if he thought she knew. 

"Someone is hurting you, Beth," Vanya's voice was soft. "They shouldn't be." 

"Yeah, well, no one care," Beth snaps. 

"I do," Vanya disagrees. "I wouldn't ask if I didn't care."

"You're just my violin teacher," Beth shrugs. 

"I care about you, Beth. Nobody should hurt a child," Vanya tells her. 

"Nobody cares. It's been happening since I was six," Beth places her violin down, eager to escape the situation and fighting down the urge to just run. 

"Is it your parents?" Vanya softly questioned. 

"I don't live with my parents," Beth fidgets. She avoided talking about her home life for as long as she could, giving vague answers when necessary. 

"Then whoever your guardian is?" Vanya pursues. "They hurt you?" 

Beth lets out a bitter laugh. "They don't care about me." 

"Does whoever you're living with give you those bruises," Vanya straight up questioned. 

Beth doesn't say anything, eyes trained onto the floor. Vanya patiently waits. 

"The mom doesn't touch me, it's the dad that wacks me around," Beth finally mumbles. 

"Have you told anybody?" Vanya inquired. 

"They won't believe me," Beth shrugs. 

So Vanya vows to get her youngest student justice. 

Because she knew exactly what it was like and nobody should have to go through that. 

* * *

Beth is stunned when the police show up to her foster home. They look through the house and they arrest Beth's foster parents. 

Beth is told to pack her things up and she is taken into custody. 

She's surprised and silent as she sits in one of the interrogation rooms where it's quiet, a trash bag of her things on her right side and her dingy violin case clutched in her lap. 

They ask her questions. They're kind and give her hot chocolate and donuts as they ask about her foster parents. They note her bruises and take pictures and notes. 

Beth was confused when they told her that her new guardian was coming. She doesn't expect her violin teacher to walk through the door. 

Beth is so relieved to see her and doesn't care enough to feel embarrassed when she jumps out of her chair and slams into Vanya with a hug. 

Vanya cradles Beth close to her and Beth relaxes because Vanya was nice. 

Vanya knew her apartment was small and she didn't have the best self-care skills but she'd grown attached to her youngest student. 

They move things for Vanya's lessons into the living room and Beth moves into the smaller bare room. 

Beth can't remember the last time she felt this happy. She didn't have to hide around Vanya anymore. 

A little after Beth had turned sixteen, a few months after she had been staying with Vanya, Vanya's father dies. 

Vanya told Beth about her connection to the Umbrella Academy and Beth chooses to stay behind and let Vanya go to the funeral alone. 

Vanya trusts Beth and leaves to attend. 

Things were okay for a few days after that and then Vanya took on a new violin student. 

Beth immediately didn't like him. 

His name was Leonard and he seemed kind enough but something about him made Beth squirm whenever he was near. 

Then he took Vanya out for coffee. 

Beth detested him. She made sure to glare at him whenever she saw him. 

Beth tells Vanya about her worries but Vanya doesn't listen. She reassures Beth. "Everything will be alright. I won't let anyone hurt you again." 

Beth feels ignored for the first time since she came to live with Vanya. 

The Vanya breaks the news that she's dating Leonard and that's the last straw for Beth. 

When Vanya is away at orchestra practice, Beth grabs some change and she calls a cab. 

* * *

The building looks different in person. It's huge and Beth tries to swallow her anxiety as she knocks on the front door. 

She doesn't recognize the man behind the door with rings under his eyes and the scent of marijuana wafting off of him. 

"Can I help you?" He questioned, leaning on the doorway. 

"You're the Umbrella Academy, right?" Beth fidgets. "The people with the powers?" 

"That depends on who's asking," The man folds his arms. 

"Well, I came here to look for Vanya's family," Beth admits. 

The man's back straightens. "Do tell." 

"I came here to see Vanya's siblings. Are they here?" Beth questioned. 

The man moves out of the doorway and beckons her in. 

"My name is Klaus, AKA number four," Klaus informs her. "Might I be privy to your name?" 

"My name is Beth Sordame," Beth replies, following Klaus further into the mansion. 

Klaus shouts for the others and they gather in confusion in the living room. 

"This," Klaus drops a hand on Beth's shoulder, ignoring her flinch. "Is Beth Sordame. She came here looking for Vanya's family." 

"Why?" One of the men straightens. 

"She needs help," Beth fidgets and fingers a hole in her sweater sleeve. "She won't listen to me?" 

"Help with what? What's wrong?" The tallest man questioned. 

"Are you her family?" Beth repeats her question. 

"That we are, dear strange child," Klaus sweeps a hand over the room. "That there is Diego, next to him we have dear number Five. Then we have Allison and that brute of a man is Luther." 

"You gonna tell us what's wrong?" Diego folds his arms. 

Beth suddenly remembers him. "You're a police officer." 

Diego frowns. "Yes. Have we met before?" 

"You raided my house," Beth tells him. "You arrested my foster parents." 

There's a flicker of recognition in his eyes. "Yeah. I kinda remember you." 

"Back to the real reason you're here," Luther interrupts. "What is the situation." 

Beth hunches into herself knowing that she is going behind Vanya's back. 

"Vanya has a boyfriend," Beth finally blurts. 

"So?" Allison questioned. 

Beth bites her lower lip as she struggles to get the right words out. "He... he isn't a good boyfriend." 

That captures their attention. 

"What do you mean?" Klaus inquired. 

"He is... manipulating her. He controls her and hurts her and he apologizes and she forgives him and it keeps happening." 

"And just how do you know this?" Allison questioned. 

"Yes, how do you know our dearest little sister?" Klaus swings an arm around her shoulder. 

"I'm a violin student of hers," Beth tells them. 

"Pray tell why you would know so much about it then?" Five glares at her. 

"She's... taken me in at the moment," Beth admits. "She saved me from an abusive foster family. She's like my foster mom, I guess." 

It was silent as they all stare at her. 

"Let me get this straight," Five stands and moves towards her. "You, Vanya's supposed 'foster-daughter', comes here to ask us, the family she wants nothing to do with, for help because Vanya's boyfriend is abusing her?" 

Beth nods. It did seem a little silly now when Five said it out loud but Beth didn't really know anybody else that could help. 

It was quiet for another beat before Klaus breaks the silence. "I'm an uncle!" He jumps up and cheers, clapping his hands. 

"You actually think Vanya is a foster mother?" Luther questioned. 

Beth shrinks in on herself again. Perhaps coming here was a mistake. 

"Are you gonna help me?" She questioned. "Because she's all I got." 

"I wanna see," Klaus grabs both of her hands and tugs her towards the door. "C'mon kiddo, let's go see Vanya dearest!" 

One by one, each of them follows Beth back to the tiny apartment. 

"Wait here while I tell her," Beth shifts guiltily as she unlocks the door and enters the house. 

"Vanya, I'm home!" Beth calls out knowing that Vanya just returned from orchestra practice. 

"I'm in the kitchen!" Vanya calls back. 

Beth beckons them forward towards the kitchen where they watch as Vanya casually slings an arm around Beth. 

"Didn't know you were going out today," Vanya comments. 

"I had some things to do," Beth mumbles. 

"Are you okay?" Vanya questioned, smoothing some of Beth's wild hair back. 

"I went to see your family today," Beth blurts before horror takes over her face and she backs up, arms coming up to prepare herself for an incoming blow. 

"Hey, shh, it's alright, Beth," Vanya doesn't notice her siblings watching her as she gently touches Beth's shoulder. "I'm not mad at you. It's alright. I'm not going to hit you." 

"I'm sorry," Beth whimpers.

"It's alright," Vanya gently manipulates Beth's arms away from her face and back down to her sides. "What did you go to see them for?" 

"I just wanted to talk to them," Beth shrugs. "They're different that what I was expecting." 

"I didn't exactly paint them in a good light in my book," Vanya admits. "But they're my family and I love them and I regret writing that book every day but it was just a way for me to cope at the time." 

"When's he coming?" Beth questioned, steering the conversation away. 

"Leonard will be back soon," Vanya smiles. 

"I don't want him to," Beth folds her arms and pouts. "I don't like him, Vanya." 

"I know but he's not such a bad guy," Vanya cards her fingers through Beth's short hair. 

"He gives me the creeps," Beth sighs. "So I talked to some other people. 

Vanya raises an eyebrow and the others take that as their cue to appear. 

Vanya shoves Beth behind her protectively as her siblings crowd the kitchen. 

"What are you doing here?" She demands. 

"Your kid came to get us," Klaus shrugs. "Why didn't you tell me I was an uncle? I would totally be an awesome uncle." 

Vanya sighs and turns to look at Beth. 

"I'm sorry," Beth whimpers. 

Vanya softens and pulls Beth into her arms. "It's alright." 

Beth clings to her, pushing her face into Vanya's shoulder. 

The front door unlocks again and everybody but Beth shifts to look at it. 

Leonard enters and pauses, eyes raking over each and every member of the Umbrella Academy. 

"You didn't say we were going to be having company," Leonard plasters a charming smile to his face. 

"It was kinda last minute," Vanya plays with a tuft of Beth's hair. 

"I see," Leonard hums. 

Leonard was all charm but Beth knew that Vanya's siblings agreed with her. They were trained for that sort of stuff. 

Beth plasters herself to Vanya when they finally leave with promises to return. 

They would help. Beth asked them. They had to. 

* * *

Vanya's medication goes missing and Vanya panics. 

Beth finds herself kneeling on the floor of the kitchen as Vanya's hands shake and tears stream down her foster mother's face. 

Beth knows that the only other person who had access to the house was Leonard but she doesn't bring him up. 

* * *

Vanya has powers. They're wild and they scare Vanya and Beth is trying her best to keep Leonard away because he doesn't seem all that surprised. He tries to tell Vanya just how good her powers are. How they don't love her. 

Leonard manages to coax them out. To go on a small vacation.

Beth clings to Vanya because she didn't trust Leonard. 

Vanya helped Beth when Beth needed her the most so Beth would return the favor. 

* * *

When Beth comes home from school, there is blood on the walls and the front door is kicked in. 

Vanya is nowhere to be seen. Leonard is dead, dozens of knives plunged into his body. 

Beth hastily escapes to the mansion to let them know that Vanya's gone. 

She gets there and it's violently quiet. She can hear her heartbeat in her ears as she enters. 

"Hello?" Beth calls out. "Klaus?"

A thump has Beth following the noise to a door down to the cellar. 

She descends and whas she finds shocks her. 

Luther has an unconscious Vanya in his arms and is placing her into a room with a thick metal door, heaving it shut. 

"What are you doing!?" Beth flies down the rest of the stairs. "Let her out!" 

Luther grabs a fistful of the back of Beth's sweater and yanks her back and up, choking her. 

"Put me down!" Beth screeches, kicking. 

More footsteps come down the stairs and Diego pauses, Klaus bumping into his back. 

"What's going on?" Diego demands, finishing coming all the way down. 

"She's dangerous," Luther replies. 

Beth is groping at the fabric that's pinching her neck, trying to allow herself to breathe as she wiggles and kicks her legs, screeching what precious air is left in her lungs. 

Vanya starts pounding on the door, eyes trained on Beth. They're full of fear. 

Beth can't breathe and she sags a little. She wiggles until she slides out of her sweater, not caring that she's flashing grown men her bra or years of abuse scars. 

She darts to the metal door, trying to tug on the handles and watches as Vanya pounds and screams. 

"Vanya!" Beth taps the tiny window into the room. "It's okay, I'm right here." 

Beth can't get the door open. She's too small. 

She places her hand over the glass and Vanya calms down enough to place her hand over where Beth's was. 

Beth was then yanked back and away from Vanya by Luther and she fights him but he restrains her. 

She screams and calls names and begs and cries because she thought they were different. She thought the Umbrella Academy would help. She thought Vanya's siblings loved her. 

Luther pushes her towards the stairs and she stumbles, wrapping her arms around herself to try and conceal her bare skin. 

Klaus removes his vest and drops it over her shoulders and Beth doesn't let him see the tears that stream down her face. 

This foster home was good. Vanya loved her and she loved being with Vanya. Now they locked Vanya up and she would be pushed away back into the system and forgotten about. 

Allison is at the top of the stairs with a bandage plastered to her neck and a whiteboard in her hands. 

Beth doesn't know what happens but keeps her mouth shut. She shuts down. Don't let them see you weak and they can't hurt you. 

Beth hated them. She trusted them and they hurt both her and Vanya. 

She would get her foster mother out. 

* * *

Beth escapes while the others are busy and heads back to Vanya's apartment. She uses her key to unlock the door and heads to her room to put on a new shirt. 

Think. She had to think. 

Vanya's music is scattered across the kitchen table and Beth has the realization that Vanya's concert was that night. Vanya was so excited and Beth couldn't wait to go see her play. 

She probably should have run. The Umbrella Academy knew where she lived. But Beth was so tired. 

She curls up in Vanya's bed and lets a panic attack run its course. 

Klaus shows up on her doorstep an hour after she snuck away. 

"We need your help," Klaus tells her. "The Apocalypse is coming and Vanya causes it." 

"How can I trust you?" Beth snaps. 

"I'm sorry," Klaus's eye shows true remorse. "I didn't want anyone to get hurt.

"It's too late for that," Beth snaps. 

"Vanya broke out and destroyed the mansion," Klaus tells her. "She's heading to her concert." 

"Really?" Beth questioned. 

"Please. At least come to look," Klaus begs, holding his hand out to Beth. "Please. Please. Beth, please." 

"Okay," Beth snaps. "Lead the way." 

It becomes clear to Beth right away that Vanya's powers were out of control. Lamposts were warped and cars were bent as they walk through the streets to the theater. 

People were screaming and Klaus grabs Beth's shoulder, pulling them through the madness. 

Beth pushes open the heavy doors and Vanya is on stage playing her violin. 

The other Umbrella Academy members are here and they look surprised to see Beth. 

"She's dangerous," A hand falls onto her shoulder. "You should get out of here." 

Beth slaps the hand off and looks up at Diego. "But I need her! She's all I got left!" 

Diego ignores Klaus and tries to pick Beth up and Beth screams. 

Vanya's head whips to look at the two of them, her white eyes staring at Diego. 

"Vanya!" Beth reaches towards her. "You need to stop!" 

Beth wiggles in Diego's arms. "Please, put me down!" 

Diego, on the other hand, was startled that Vanya had reacted to Beth. 

Diego sets Beth back onto her feet, pulling out one of his knives and placing it against Beth's neck. 

"What are you doing!?" Five hisses. 

"If you don't stop I'll hurt her!" Diego threatens Vanya. 

Vanya's white eyes are trained on him. 

Beth shoves his arm away, ducking under the knife, slicing her cheek open. Diego wasn't expecting it. 

As soon as Beth darts towards Vanya, Vanya sends a blast towards Diego, knocking him off of his feet. 

"Vanya, you need to stop!" Beth pleads as she gets closer, ignoring the screams for her to get away. 

Vanya lets her get closer. Only her. 

"You took me in when the people who were supposed to love me hurt me. You showed me the first bit of kindness that I've had in years!" Beth calls out to Vanya. "I think of you like you were my mom but you can't be my mom if you're dead!" 

Beth's eyes fall onto a spare violin in the pit and snatch it up, pulling the violin up to her shoulder and moving onto the stage with Vanya. 

Vanya's white eyes are trained on her as Beth begins to play after Vanya. 

She was nowhere near the level that Vanya was. Her vibrato was weak but she had a good ear and could mimic Vanya's notes after playing for a little more than a year. 

She gets closer and closer to Vanya, staring into the white eyes that watch her, ignoring the blue glow around her. 

She can feel the stares in her back. The song is reaching its crescendo. 

Beth remembers a song that Vanya taught her. 

"I used to play this when I was a child," Vanya told her. 

So Beth slows down, taking the lead and playing softer, coaxing Vanya to follow. 

It was just like when they were in lessons and Vanya would play along with Beth, waiting while the teenager figured out how to continue. 

The blue light surrounding the room dims slightly and Vanya slowly follows her. 

Beth leads Vanya through the song and the siblings watch, recognizing the song as one that they would often hear Vanya play when they were children. 

Beth was mere feet away from Vanya as the song reaches its final note. Beth tosses the violin to the side and barrels into Vanya, wrapping her arms around her waist tightly.

Vanya stumbles, the violin falling from her grasp as she moves to hold Beth to her. 

The blue light starts to fade as Beth's blood smears across Vanya's white tux. 

"Please don't leave me, mom," Beth whispers, gripping onto Vanya. 

Five watches as this wild variable, a foster kid, accidentally prevent the apocalypse.

* * *

Vanya's siblings are trying to be better. They help her learn to control her powers and they apologize over and over again. They're getting better and Beth doesn't hate them as much. 

A few months after the incident, Vanya officially adopts Beth and Beth Sordame becomes Beth Hargreeves. 

Vanya can't stop thanking Beth and apologizing over and over. Beth doesn't blame her. 

"You were there for me when I needed you. I only returned the favor." 

* * *

Beth Sordame was taken into care when she was six, taken from her uncle at eight and told that she would never get adopted at nine. 

Now, at sixteen, she has a loving mother, an aunt and lots of uncles who are all trying their best to make it up to Vanya and to be better. 

Beth was glad that everything worked out in the end. 


End file.
